JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 1,900 athletes from around the world raced through Jacksonville on Saturday in the city’s first-ever Ironman triathlon, covering 140.6 miles of swimming, biking, and running.
Competitors from 39 countries and 49 states took on the course, starting with a swim in the St. Johns River, transitioning to a 112-mile bike ride through Jacksonville, Nocatee, and Ponte Vedra, and finishing with marathon that looped through downtown and Riverside.
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Athletes traveled the globe for the race
For many competitors, the Ironman is as much about the journey as the finish line. Erica Parriott or New Jersey was competing in her 11th Ironman, and said the race brought her to places she never expected to visit.
“It’s one of the things I love about Ironman — it gets me to places I never would’ve gone to before,” Parriott said. “It’s amazing out on course. If you ever start struggling, there’s always someone coming up behind you, cheering you on.”
Other athletes said their goal was simple.
“Finishing,” one athlete said when asked what they were looking forward to most.
Families lined the course with signs and cheers
The athletes were not alone. Family members and friends lined the course at each stop, cheering them on across all 140.6 miles.
The Jones family came out to support husband and father Mike, who was competing in his first Ironman. His children made signs and waited eagerly along the route.
“We’re really excited,” a family member said.
Another mother watching her son race had a simple message: “Keep going, buddy.”